Keystone Winter News 2011-12

The Keystone Kidtopia Snow FortAs part of our Kidtopia programming bring the whole family to the top of Dercum Mountain to play on our famous Snow Fort. Play in a maze; sit on the Kidtopia throne, climb atop snowy towers and much more. This unique playground is open as late as the lifts are for the ultimate ending to a great day at Keystone.

Kidtopia Family Weekends 2011-2012

During peak family vacation periods throughout the winter, Keystone Resort is offering family activities throughout the week or weekend with special activities designed just for families including, movie night in the village, live entertainment, interactive arts and crafts, family dining and more. Please go to www.keystonekidtopia.com.

Keystone has a unique kids area tucked in on Dercum Mountain. Conveniently located near the beginner area off of the Schoolmarm trail, Ripperoo’s Forest adds a whole new dimension to children’s ski school and family ski/riding time. Murphy Silver Mine will feature a replica of 60 foot long mine shaft, a water tower, and an ore hoist.

River Run Rocks! – December 2011, February, March & April 2012

Come ski Keystone for a day and then stay for a free concert! Acts in the past have included: Arrested Development, 10,000 Maniacs, Robert Earl Keen and more. A kids’ game zone will keep the young ones busy while the music plays. Beverages, alcohol and food sold á la carte.

Keystone’s $5 Value Meal

Keystone offers an incredible meal deal; Keystone's $5 value meal. This will be offered at all on mountain cafeterias at Keystone Resort. This meal will vary by location, but may include a hot dog and fries to macaroni and cheese. Five bucks also gets you a coupon for a small soft drink refill!

Adventure Point Tubing

One of Colorado's best tubing spots is at the summit of Dercum Mountain at Adventure Point. With a good pitch and long run-out, the park’s four tubing lanes deliver fast fun and entertainment for the entire family. Snow biking and slopecycle are also a part of the exhilarating times at Keystone's Adventure Point. New this year! Every Thursday is Disco Tubing night- to go along with the Kidtopia festival the Disco Tubing continues even when Kidtopia is not in session. Bring your best dance moves! Call 800.468.5004 or visit www.keystoneresort.com for more information.

Looking for a Memorable Adventure? Try a Guided Snowcat Tour

Experience The Keystone Adventure Tours (KAT) which provides skiers and riders access to nearly 300 acres of Keystone’s most challenging terrain in Independence Bowl through a guided snowcat tour. Participants receive an all-inclusive, red carpet experience that includes: A full day of backcountry skiing and snowboarding in Keystone’s three bowls with expert guides and a catered, gourmet lunch in the new Independence Yurt prepared by the award-winning chefs at Keystone. The KAT program is the largest snow cat operation in Summit County Colorado and it allows advanced skiers and riders to experience pristine backcountry-type conditions in a controlled and guided environment.

Keystone Resort 50 Plus Ski With Us Program

50 Plus Ski with Us is a new complimentary guided ski program for all Keystone guests ages 50 and over (and we don’t check IDs!) Guests of all abilities are welcome to participate in this free tour. The tours are led by a Keystone Guest Services Tour Guide and will explore Keystone Resort. The tours are held weekly throughout the ski season. Tours can last for as long as the guests would like to ski. For more information including dates and times of the tours please call Keystone Guest Services (970) 496-3789.

Full Moon Snowshoe Tour
At the Keystone Nordic Center, families can enjoy a moon-lit snowshoe hike and supper. The mostly level terrain is perfectly suited for groups and families. $40 includes equipment rental, tour, and soup buffet dinner. Tours begin between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m., depending on time of year. Minimum age is 13 years. Reservation required. Tour Dates: Dec. 21, 2011; Jan. 19, Feb. 18 and March 19, 2012*.

*Dates subject to change

Mom, Dad and Me Program at the Keystone Ski & Ride School

Keystone offers a truly unique hour-and-a-half afternoon parent/teacher conference-type of class for the kids and parents or grandparents every day. The instructor who's been working with the child all day summarizes the lesson and counsels the parents on how to continue teaching their youngster. The parents also get tips on skiing or riding. It's the perfect way to ensure the whole family is on the right path to learning. The Mom, Dad & Me Program allows children to get the quality family time along with the benefit of professional coaching from Keystone’s ski and ride school.

Family Private Lessons

Today’s families are time starved and often don’t get to spend much quality time together. Keystone has designed a program for families where they receive world-class instruction on the hill and spend family time together. Our private instructors are some of the most knowledgeable folks on and off the hill and can serve as a family's "ski/snowboard buddy" with tips on where to eat, what to do, and where to go, not to mention how to improve the skiing/riding of everyone in the family.

Keystone’s Kid Friendly Trail Map

Keystone also has a trail map specifically for kids. This animated trail map includes information on lessons, skier safety and where adventure zones are on Dercum Mountain. Flip it over and find different features from Keystone’s A51 Terrain Park that children can color in and pop up. Children can actually “play” with this fun, interactive trail map. Foxy and Foxeen can put on their skis or boards and ride the rails and fun boxes. Kid friendly trail maps are available at Keystone’s Ski and Ride School, Keystone restaurants and front desks.

Keystone Ranch

Rustic elegance and extraordinary cuisine meet in this 1930s ranch homestead. A six-course dinner features Colorado cuisine served in the warm atmosphere of one of Keystone’s most historic locations. The Ranch is an award-winning restaurant, achieving a AAA Four Diamond rating, a top rating from Zagat Survey, and is a Wine Spectator DiRoNa winner. This is truly a dining destination.

Ski Tip Lodge

Cozy and charming, this former 1800’s stagecoach stop is now a bed and breakfast inn and restaurant. Step inside and you’ll immediately feel welcome by the rustic fireplace and aroma of delicious food. Featuring a four-course menu that is frequently rotated, the Ski Tip Lodge consistently receives high reviews for its innovative entrees and excellent service. Start with a soup, maybe the Nebraskan Bison Stew, then a salad of grilled fennel and sugar snap peas, followed by an entrée such as the Smoked Garlic Salt Rubbed Beef Tenderloin. Retire to a comfortable seat next to the fireplace and finish with dessert and Ski Tip Coffee. You will leave knowing why the Ski Tip Lodge is truly a special place, and wanting to keep it as your own little secret. Reservations Required.

Alpenglow Stube

Travel by gondola to the top of North Peak for the highest fine dining experience in the country. Located at 11,444 feet in a stunning setting decorated to resemble a Bavarian fairy-tale, the Stube features contemporary alpine entrées such as Porcini Mushroom Dusted Elk Chop or Sauteed Veal Tournedos. For a truly memorable experience, try the Degustation and let the chef guide you through seven specially selected courses. Complement your meal with the widest selection of wines, ports and cognacs in the resort, and find out why the Alpenglow Stube is consistently ranked as one of the top restaurants in Colorado by Zagat. With stunning views and wonderful fare, this is mountain dining at its finest. Reservations required.

Horse Drawn Sleigh Ride

A signature Keystone dining experience. Prepare yourself for a night that will become one of your best memories of the winter, as you soak up the sights and sounds of the Soda Creek Valley.Pulled by 2,000-pound draft horses, you'll arrive at an authentic homestead where a toasty cabin beckons you in from the crisp night air. Our knowledgeable wranglers will entertain you from start to finish by sharing history of the Keystone area and stories about our working horses.Once at the homestead, sit back and enjoy the cowboy tunes performed by one of our local guitar players, while our wranglers prepare and serve you an authentic cowboy dinner.

Bighorn Steakhouse

The Bighorn Steakhouse offers an outstanding steakhouse dining experience in a casual setting with breathtaking views of Keystone Lake and the Continental Divide. Diners can watch ice skaters or paddle boaters have fun while enjoying a delicious meal. The Bighorn offers the finest cuts of corn-fed American beef while wild game, fresh sustainable seafood, chicken and other specialty entrees are also available to tempt the palette. The Bighorn wine list has been recognized by Wine Spectator and has seven sommeliers on staff ready to recommend exciting vintages.

Keystone Culinary Festival March 3 & 4, 2012*

Experience Keystone’s award-winning cuisine at this resort-wide culinary festival. Savor the flavors at the Grand Tasting event, sip red wines from around the world or indulge your palate with a chocolate class lead by our award winning executive pastry chef. In support of Keystone and Vail Resorts’ Appetite for Life Program, chefs will be serving sustainable and organic ingredients all weekend.

*Date subject to change

Spa Overview

The Keystone Lodge & Spa, a four diamond AAA rated lodging property has a 10,000 square-foot spa which is entirely environmentally friendly. From recycled flooring and organic uniforms to organic products, indigenous ingredients and treatments that connect the spa to its natural surroundings. The Spa at the Keystone Lodge offers treatments and body therapies for all price ranges and gives Keystone guests an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate during their stay.

Be sure not to miss this delicious homemade creation from Keystone Resort’s Pastry Chef Ned Archibald. This handcrafted holiday tradition features 2,500 pounds of chocolate crafted into a miniature alpine village, a working chocolate gondola, a cascading chocolate waterfall, 6 foot tall white chocolate Christmas tree with chocolate presents. This mouth watering creation gets a special new addition every year, for the 2010/2011 season Santa and his flying reindeer will be soaring over our alpine village. Check out the latest Chocolate Village premiering December 17, 2010!

Santa’s Sleigh at Keystone’s Lakeside Village

Santa’s sleigh arrives at Keystone Lakeside Village just in time for Christmas! This stunning hand carved ice sculpture, complete with reindeer, is available for families’ photo-ops. Watch out! You never know Santa may stop by to pick up his sleigh!

This area is reserved for members of the news media. If you qualify, please update your user profile and check the box marked "Check here to register as an accredited member of the news media". Please include any notes in the "Supporting information for media credentials" box. We will notify you of your status via e-mail in one business day.